A centenarian is a person who lives to or beyond the age of 100 years.
Because current average global life expectancies are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity.

A supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only achieved by about one in 1,000 centenarians.

Even rarer is a person who has lived to age 115; as of June 2012, there are only 27 people in recorded history who have indisputably reached this age.

In 2009, the United Nations estimated 455,000 living centenarians worldwide.

Centenarians per 100,000 people (2010)
JAPAN - 34.88
FRANCE - 26,88
USA - 22.35
CANADA - 21.48
UK - 20.3
AUSTRALIA - 18.75
SWEDEN - 15,80
BELGIUM - 14.24
SPAIN - 12.78
GERMANY - 10.80
NETHERLANDS - 10.41
ITALY - 10.38
SWITZERLAND - 10.01
ARGENTINA - 8.69
HUNGARY - 7.98
PERU - 6.58
POLAND - 6.27
CZECH REPUBLIC - 5.92
SOUTH KOREA - 1.92
CHINA - 1.48


some New Zealand CENTENARIANS found using Papers Past

? 11 January 1870 - Michael MURPHY
... DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN AT THE WAIRAU - Mr Michael Murphy, father of Mr Thomas Murphy, died at Spring Creek, Marlborough, on January 11, aged 100 years


? 22 January 1874 - Flora McLEOD
... At Tapu Creek, on january 22, 1874, Miss Flora Mcleod, aged 100 years, native of the Isle of Cana, Inverness-shire, Scotland. Emigrated to Nova Scotia about 1830 and to New Zealand with the McIsaac family in 1860, in the bargue "Ellen Lewis". She has resided with the McIsaac family for upwards of 40 years, by whom she is much regretted. Nova Scotia papers please copy


? 17 Feb 1875 - Mrs WHYBORN
... The widow of a farmer (Mrs Whyborn) died on Feb. 17, at Hastings, aged 100 years and five months


? 22 September 1875 - Chief NICOLE
... Measles has broken out amongst the Natives, and Dr O'Carroll is attending them. There are nearly two hundred cases, and about twelve deaths have occurred, five of which took place before he went. Ten deaths of Natives from the same cause have also taken place at Urenui, among them an old chief name Nicole, aged 100 years.


? 3 July 1876 - Joseph WARD
... July 4rd, at his residence, Broadfield, Springston, Joseph Ward, aged 100 years


? August 1878 - unnamed woman in AUCKLAND
... In the vital statics of New Zealand for the month of August 1878, one centanarian died, a female aged 100 years at Auckland


? 14 January 1879 - Thomas HILL
... Thomas Hill, the old Waterloo veteran, aged 100, was found dead in his bed, in Morton Street, Auckland, on Saturday. Death was the result of serious apoplexy produced by sunstroke


? 20 January 1881 - John CAMERON
... John Cameron, sen., of Turakina, (Wamganui) aged 100 years, died suddenly on Wednesday (his wife died last month aged 92)


? 22 June 1888 - Catherine KELLY
... June 22nd, at her daughter's residence, Mrs Cosgrove, Harwood road, Christchurch, Catherine Kelly, aged 100 years. The husband of the deceased lady, John Kelly, died on June 2nd, aged ninety-eight years


? 28 March 1898 - Hake WANGAWANGA
... The maori chief Hake Wangawanga has died at Pehaweia, aged 100 years. Deceased celebrated the centenary of his birthday last Christmas. He remembered Heke's raids perfectly


? 23 August 1900 - Catherine LAMBERT
... On the 23rd instant, at her son's residence, Dorwent Street Oamaru, North Otago, Mrs David Lambert, aged 100


? 16 August 1903 - Charles Johnson PHARAZYN
... At Seacroft, Hobson street, Wellington, on August 16th, Chas. Johnston Pharazyn; aged 100 years and 10 months.
- Charles was a principal merchant in Wellington. He caused quite a sensation one day when he walked along "the beach", near a semi-circle of shops and dwellings, now Lambton Quay, where wooden jetties were built out into the water to obtain cargo from deep-sea vessels lightered ashore. Charles was wearing a sandwich board around his neck inscribed with the words "Lost, a pair of specs"


? 9 October 1905 - Katherine BALL
... Mrs Katherine Ball (who had been a widow for 71 years) died at Mount Roskill, Auckland, aged 100 years and 10 months. She enjoyed a remarkably healthy life, and her intellect and memory were perfectly clear to the last


? 5 March 1908 - Louis BERESFORD
... A Dunedin Press Association telegram states that a man named Louis Adolphus Beresford died in the benevolent institution yesterday, aged 100. Deceased, who resided for a number of years in King Street, Dunedin, where he carried on a second-hand shop, claimed to be well connected in England. His one desire was to live to a humdred, which age he reached on the 17th ult. Death was due to influenza and bronchitis


? 21 August 1909 - Ellen COLBOURNE
... A Dunedin telegram reports that Mrs Ellen Colbourne died at Outram this morning, aged 100


? 29 November 1912 - Daniel O'BRIEN
... The passing of a centenarian is reported from Petone, where an old resident, Mr Daniel O'Brien, died yesterday at his residence in Nelson-street, aged 100 years


? 24 March 1913 - George Samuel PORTER
... On March 24th, at his residence, Nursery road, Linwood, George Samuel Porter, aged 100 years


? 9 March 1916 - Ohouai WIRIMU
... An old maori, reported to be aged 106 years, by name Ohouai Wirimu, a resident of Putiki, was found dead at Castlecliff, Wanganui, last night


? 26 June 1916 - Gee Sergeant BARKER
... The Hamilton correspondent of the New Zealand Herald reports that Mr G. S. Barker died on Monday night, aged 100 years and five months. He was born in Calcutta on January 18, 1816, and was a son of Sergt. Barker, of the Bengali Native Company. Mr Barker came to New Zealand in 1861. The Maori war was in progress, and he served till the end of the war. He went to Hamilton in 1877 and resided there ever since


? 9 August 1917 - Heini RANGI
... At Tolaga Bay, Heini Rangi, a native woman, aged 100 years, was burned to death. She had been sleeping in a tent and was left with a candle burning. The next morning the charred remains of the tent were found, the woman's body lying just beyond the circle of fire


? 29 October 1917 - Ann VILE (nee FOSTER)
... A Wellington Press Association telegram reports that Mrs John VILE, sen., aged 100 years and 5 months, who arrived in Wellington in the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856, died at Pahiatua yesterday


? 15 December 1918 - Edward DOWD
... On 15th December, 1918, at the Wairau Hospital; Edward Dowd; aged 100 years and 6 months. R.I.P.


? 22 July 1919 - Ria Ti KINI
... Ria Ti Kini died at Puketeraki on Saturday night, aged 100 years


? 4 February 1920 - William CARROLL
... Mr William Carroll, an inmate of the Old People's Home at Napier, died on Sunday, aged 100 years and six months


? October 1923 - Emma BEARNARD
... The Endowment Fund of All Saints' Anglican Church, Dunedin, receives ?700 (Oct 2012 equivalent of $65,600) under the will of Mrs Emma Bearnard, a foundation parishioner, who died in October, aged 100 years


? 15 June 1925 - Mary Ann SHORT (nee SOUTHEE)
... On the 15th June, 1925, at the residence of her son, Mr S. Clifton, Rikirangi, Mary Ann, relict of the late Reuben Short, late of 43 Roy street, Palmerston North; aged 100 years and 6 months. At rest
NOTE Reuben Short & Mary Ann Southee married in April 1862. Mary Ann was then the widow of Richard Clifton who had died in 1858 during the big flood in the Hutt Valley


? 28 December 1925 - John McCABE
... The death occurred at the Wellington Hospital this morning of John McCabe, aged 100 years and nine months. The late Mr McCabe was a native of Ireland. As a young man he enlisted and fought with his regiment in the Crimean campaign, also in the Indian Mutiny, and finally he came to New Zealand with the Imperial Forces and fought through the Maori War. On leaving the Army he settled in the Rangitikei district, where he worked as a farm labourer for many years. He came to Wellington about six years ago, and since then lived at the residence of his daughter, Mrs K. McGrath, Sage's lane. Up till quite recently, Mr McCabe retained all his faculties unimpaired, and related incidents of his long career with remarkable clearness


? 5 July 1927 - Jane BRADLEY
... The death occurred last night of Mrs Jane Bradley, aged 100 years. mrs Bradley was born on 15th August, 1826 at Druhcliffe, County Sligo, Ireland, and came to New Zealand seventy-one years ago. She lived in Central Otago and Oamaru, where she was married sixty-four years ago. She settled in Levin in 1897, taking up one of the original Government sections on which she resided till her death


? 15 June 1930 - Michael MALONEY
... On 15th June, 1940, at his daughter's residence, 10 Beach street, Petone, Michael Maloney; aged 100 years; late of Kumara. interred at Greymouth. R.I.P.


? 5 November 1930 - Frances FOX
... Born in 1930, Mrs J. H. Fox died yesterday at her home near Napier, aged 100 years and eight months. She came to the Dominion in 1878 with her husband and seven children. Mrs Fox lived in Canterbury, where her husband was engaged in engineering in Auckland, Nelson, and Hawkes Bay. She leaves one son, Mr P. H. Fox of Papakura, Auckland and three daughters, Miss M. E. Fox, Mrs J. Campbell and Mrs J. B. McMillan (all of Auckland), and a number of grandchildren


? 17 May 1932 - Emma HOGGETT
... The death occurred yesterday at Wanganui, of Mrs Emma Hoggett, aged 100 years. She came to New Zealand in June, 1844, in the sailing ship "British Empire" with her husband, the late Daniel Hoggett, and landed at Lyttelton. Mrs Hoggett was a keen Congregationalist and prohibitionist. She leaves three sons and two daughters, 24 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren


? 12 January 1935 - Frederick FAULKNER
... The death has occurred at Treton Park, Wakefield, of a very well known Nelson resident, Mr Frederick Faulkner, aged 100 years. Mr Faulkner never married. He celebrated his birthday on April 4 last when a large number of residents from surrounding districts assembled to congratulate him upon becoming a centenarian.
Mr Faulkner's father, with his two sons, came out to Australia in 1832. He remained there for a few years and then came to New Zealand.
The new arrivals first settled at Waihola, South Dunedin. After some years there they returned to England, but came back to New Zealand in search of a milder climate. He chose the Nelson district, eventually settling at Wakefield. Mr Faulker had lived at Wakefield for 58 years. When he was five years of age and in England he had a severe attack of smallpox, the doctor remarking that if he recovered he would live to be 100, a prophecy that came true


? 1 June 1937 - Philip le QUESNE
... Affectionately known as Hamilton's "Grand Old Man", Mr Philip le Quesne died here last evening, aged 100 years. He was associated with the commercial and social life of the town for over seventy years, and up to several weeks ago he was able to take an active interest in the affairs of the day and attend to his excellent garden. A carpenter by trade, Mr le Quesne was a native of Jersey, where he lived for 24 years. He first lived at Auckland, and after six years there came to the Waikato, arriving at Ngaruawahia on horseback over rough bridle tracks. He later opened a store in Hamilton when most of the customers were members of the Waikato Militia. He then built the Waikato Hotel, and was the first man to make wine in the Waikato.
Through his zeal the first Anglican Church in Hamilton was erected. After being a year here he accompanied Archdeacon Pritt in a canvas of the district, but only twelve worshippers could be secured, and for years services were held in a shingle whare, now the site of the cathedral.
Mr le Quesne retired from active business life in 1892. He is survived by two sons, Winter John (New South Wales) and Alfred (Auckland), and two daughters, Mrs C. Quick and Miss H. le Quesne, (Hamilton)


? 29 July 1937 - Whakaniko Hemi PAI
... The very last of her generation in Mangere, Whakaniko Hemi Pai, or to give her her pakeha name, Mrs Kitty Pai, died recently, aged 100 years. As one of high blood, she was taken to Taupiri, and her body given burial on Taupiri Mountain, the sacred burial ground of the Waikato people, states the "New Zealand Herald"
She was the daughter of Pheimana te Amohau, and the direct descendant of the ancient warrior chiefs, Taniwha and Tehiakai. She was a member of the leading sub-tribes of the Waikato, and connected with the principal tribes of Tamaki.
Mrs Pai went right through the Waikato wars in the sixties and she was at Rangiaowhia when it was sacked by British troops in 1863. There was born her first child, a son, Paho, who died a short time ago.
She is survived by two sons, Jack and Robert Pai, and two daughters, Mrs Edward of Mangere and Mrs Kirkwood. Mrs Pai was an old identity of Awhitu, Mangere., She lived there for the past 50 years


? 13 September 1940 - Mary DILLON
... A resident of the Waikato for 75 years, Mrs Mary Dillon, aged 100, of Nixon Street, Hamilton, died today. Mrs Dillon was born in County Mayo, Ireland, and went to America as a child of 10, living in New York for eight years. She returned to Ireland, where she married Mr Michael Dillon, and at the age of 25 she and her busband came to New Zealand. They settled at Pirongia, but later moved to Cambridge.
For the last 32 years Mrs Dillon had lived in Hamilton. She had clear recollections of the famines which swept Ireland when she was a child, of the celebrations which marked the laying of the Atlantic cable on August 5, 1858, and of the assassination of President Lincoln in 1865. During her early days in New Zealand raids by marauding Maori were not an infrequent occurrence. Mr Dillon died at Cambridge in 1908. Mrs Dillon is survived by two daughters


? 8 May 1941 - Margaret JOHNSTONE
... the death has occurred at Port Chalmers of Mrs Margaret Johnstone, aged 100. She was the wife of the Rev William Johnstone, the first Presbyterian minister at Port Chalmers.
Mrs Johnstone was born in Peterhead, Scotland and came to Port Chalmers in 1861 in the ship "Lady Edigia". Shortly after her arrival she was married to Mr Johnstone, who had been appointed to the charge of the Presbyterian Church in the district, and she had resided in Port Chalmers ever since. Mr Johnstone died in 1881, and Mrs Johnstone is survived by a son and two daughters


? 6 July 1841 - John NICHOLLS
... On July 6, 1941, at his residence, Princes Street, Otahuhu, John, beloved husband of the late Rose Ann Nicholls, aged 100 years. Funeral will leave the above address for the Holy Trinity Cemetery to-morrow (Tuesday) at 3.30 p.m.


? 7 July 1941 - Charles GRANT
... On July 7, at his late residence, 103 Rose Road, Grey Lynn, Charles, dearly loved husband of Eleanor Grant, and father of Mrs Ray Frost, Pokeno, Mrs Bert Good, Bright street; Charles, Neil and Roy, aged 102 years. The funeral will leave the above address to-morrow (Tuesday) at 2 p.m. for Purewa


? 12 August 1941 - Elizabeth McFARLANE
... The death occurred yesterday of Mrs Elizabeth McFarlane, aged 100, the widow of Mr Duncan McFarlane, former Mayor of Invercargill. She was well known for her work on behalf of soldiers in the last war. Mrs McFarlane was visited by Lord and Lady Galway in Invercargill last November, when she celebrated her 100th birthday on Christmas Day


? 24 December 1941 - James Joseph COOPER
... A veteran of the early colonial days, Mr James Joseph Cooper, aged 100 years, died at his home, 72 Arthur street, Onehunga, to-day. Mr Cooper had led a varied and at times adventurous life as a sailor, gold digger and farmer and had enjoyed remarkably good health until this year.
He was born in Norfolk a few weeks before the foundation of Auckland and, taking to the sea as a lad, he saw many countries before reaching the Queen City in 1863 as a seaman in the ship Ironsides
... more biography here


? 31 Ocotber 1942 - Sophia GINGER
... The death of Miss Sophia Ginger at the age of 103 years occurred at Hawera on October 31. She was born in Monmouthshire and arrived in New Zealand with her parents in 1852. She spent the remaining ninety years of her life in Taranaki with the exception of two years at Nelson during the second Taranaki Maori War.


? 4 November 1942 - Mary PARKER
... Mrs Mary Parker, aged 100, died at her home in Auckland on Thursday of last week. She was born at Man-o'-War Bay, Waiheke Island, her parents having come from Cork, Ireland. She would have celebrated her one hundred and first birthday next Christmas Day. For the past 53 years Mrs Parker lived in the same house at Devonport


? 7 September 1943 - Martha Jane DIAMOND
... On September 7, 1943, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs J. McKenzie, High St., Carterton, Martha Jane, widow of the late Joseph Diamond; aged 100 years




PHOTO
GRAVE of John & Anne VILE at Mangatainoka
HEADSTONE READS: In loving memory of John Vile, died 2nd Jan. 1902, aged 85 years. Also Ann Vile, died 28th Oct. 1917, aged 101 years. "Gone but not forgotten".